Gang hook boot



June 1], 1940. J. w LOUGHEED 2,204,185

GANG HOOK BOAT Filed Jan 23, 1939 49 tion disclosed in Fig. 1, illustrating the extension meht will be automatically P e y the cam- Patented June 11, 1940 Q r UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE 2,204,1 GANG HOOK BOOT John W. Lougheed, Jackson, Mich. Application January 23, 1939, Serial No. 252,249

GClaims. (01. 43-39) This invention relates to guards for fishhooks, from which substantially radially project reand more particularly to boots for guarding the cesses 3. There are as many recesses 3 as there points of gang fishhooks. are individual hooks in the gang hook to be A great many artificial fishing baits, particubooted. As shown, the number is three. Each 5 larly of the plug type, are provided with gang recess 3 is provided over the upper portion there- 5 hooks, usually consisting of three individual of with an overhanging integralportion 4, which hooks having a single shank and being arranged has the effect of providing a restricted opening at 120 to each other. The common fishermans 5 to each recess 3. The upper portion of the boot, expediency of sticking the point of a fishhook as disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is provided with into a cork to protect it and to prevent it from a flange 6 for the purpose of making the struc- 10 doing damage fails as the practical solution in ture more rigid. It will be understood, however, the case of gang hooks because of the many that the entire structure, including the flange 6, corks required. For instance, a single plug havis made out of a single integral molded p c ing two usual gang hooks would require six corks. As shown pa y in the vboot is The present invention contemplates the proviheld by a thumb l0 and fingers II and I2. A 15 sion of a boot to guard the points of gang hooks, gang hook having three individual hooks is then the boot being constructed preferably of molded passed throu the restricted Openings 5 t0 the rubber and having individual recesses for each ec sses 3, as Shown in dotted outline in Fig. l. separate hook of a gang, provided with restricted AS Shown in dotted Out ne n the g inlets and guarding sections for the points. hook is then pushed downwardly to extend the 20 An object of the invention is to provide a, boot bottom l3 0f the boot to the dotted position in for gang hooks. order to permit the point of the hook shown in Another object of the invention is to provide dotted, outline to m beneath the overhanging a hook boot having a recess provided with a re- DOItiOII When downward Pressure 011 the stricted opening, into which a hook is projected. hook is released, the inherent resiliency of the A further object of the invention is to'provide .boot, including its bottom I3, forces the hook a hook boot having a recess provided with overp y so that its Point s nse ted n the overhanging structure for guarding and receiving a g p t n as d c o d pa cula y n the point or points of the hook.

A still further object ofthe invention is to The bottom of each recess 3 is P o with 30 provide a hook boot wherein the point or points a camming portion which Serves, as a hook of the hook are resiliently retained embedded is pushed downwardly into the boot t0 Cam the in a guarding structure. gang hook, circumferentially to move each of its These and other objects will be apparent from. points be eath an overhanging portion 4. Thus, the following specification when taken with the While a slight u y du ed relative rotary 35 accompanying drawin in hi h motion between the hook and the boot while the Fig 1 is a plan View f one portion of the hook is being inserted into the boot will be of as- Ventiom' sistance in moving the points under the over- Fig. 2 is an elevation of the form of the invenhanging portions 4, this relative rotary veof the bottom in dotted outline during the posi- 1111118 Portion l tioning of a ho k i th b t, Another form of the invention is disclosed in Fig, 3 i ti on t i 11 111 0f Fig. 1, Figs. 4 and 5. In this form the boot comprises Fig.4 is a plan view of another form of the a body I? having a Central Opening in the p in ti thereof through a thickened top portion [9. 45

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig. 4, Projecting substantially radially from the central and opening l8 are restricted slots 20 corresponding Fig. 6 is an elevation of an artificial fishing to the restricted openings 5 of the recesses of bait having one of the gang hooks thereof the boot of the invention disclosed in Fig. 1. equipped with the boot hook according to the Depending downwardly from the top portion I 9 50 present invention. are as many Wall members 2| as there are re- Reierring particularly to the drawing, the refstricted openings 20. Each wall member 2| is erence character 1 indicates a body preferably disposed adjacent one side of a slot 20, as shown formed of molded rubber or its equivalent. The particularly in Fig. 5,'to provide a continuation body is provided with a hollow central portion 2, of the walls, respectively, of the wall members 2|. 55

A three-pointed gang hook is disposed in the boot disclosed in Figs. 4 and in the same manner as it is disposed in the boot disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the only difference being that a relative rotation betweenthe boot hook from the boot disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5,

the points of the hook are moved until they abut against the wall portions 2| to align the inclividual hooks with the slots 20 so that the individual hooks may be readily withdrawn from the boot. It will be understood that in this form of the invention the bottom portion 22 of the body ll is extended downwardly at the time the gang hook is placedin the boot in order to permit the points of the hook to clear the top portion I9. Once the relative rotation between the hook and the boot has taken place and pressure of the gang hook against the bottom 22 is removed, the resiliency of the bottom 22 and of the body I! as a whole will force the points of the hooks upward into the top portion I9.

In Fig. 6 is disclosed an artificial bait 25 provided with gang hooks 26 and 21. As shown, the gang hook 26 is provided with a boot 28 according to the. present invention. Fig. 6 discloses the manner .in which the points of the hooks are embedded in the body of the boot itself, a feature which not only securely retains the boot on the hook but also protects the points of the hook from moisture, and thus damage by rusting. As may be readily seen, an artificial bait having gang hooks may be quickly and safely shielded by applying boots according to the present invention. While the invention has been disclosed as applying to gang hooks, it will be evident that it is not so limited and that boots for single hooks may be constructed if desired.

.' Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is: l. A gang hook boot; comprising a body having a cavity for receiving the gang hook to be booted, relatively soft structure overhanging said cavity for providing a guard for receiving in embedded relation the hook points of the hook in the gang, and resilient means for holding said points in said guarding structure.

2. A gang hook boot, comprising a body having a plurality of recesses therein, corresponding in number to the number of separate hooks in the gang hook to be booted, and structure secured to said body overhanging each recess to provide guards for the hook points and restricted openings into said recesses, respectively.

3. A gang hook boot, comprising a body of molded rubber having a plurality of recesses therein, corresponding in number to the number of'separate hooks in the gang hook to be booted, and integral molded body structure overhanging said recesses to provide guards for the hook points and restricted openings into said recesses, respectively.

4. 'A gang hook boot, comprising a body having a plurality of recesses therein, corresponding in number to the number of separate hooks in the gang hook to be booted, structure secured to said body overhanging each recess to provide guards for the hook points and restricted openings into said recesses, respectively, and camming means disposed at the bottom of each recess for camming a hook projected thereinto laterally into a position beneath said overhanging structure.

5. A gang hook boot, comprising a body having a chamber therein, a central opening in one side of-said chamber, a plurality of relatively narrow slots projecting outwardly from said central opening for permitting the movement of a gang hook into said cavity, whereby upon relative rotational movement between the boot and a gang hook in said cavity a portion of the slotted Wall will overhang the points of the hook to guard the same, and means within said chamber for limiting the relative rotational movement between the boot and a gang hook therein.

6. The invention defined in claim 5, wherein the means limiting the rotational movement between the boot and a gang hook therein is disposed adjacent one side of each of said slots for aligning the individual hooks of the gang with said slot for facilitating the removal of the gang hook from the boot.

JOHN W. LOUGHEED. 

